


with arms unfolding

by preciousthings



Category: Crooked Media RPF
Genre: Getting Together, M/M, Misunderstandings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-29
Updated: 2019-07-29
Packaged: 2020-07-24 22:06:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,978
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20021779
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/preciousthings/pseuds/preciousthings
Summary: “You just gonna stand there, or what?” Lovett calls. Lucca yips excitedly and runs toward the porch. Tommy pulls on the leash gently trying to steer her back toward him. “Your dog wants to see me,” Lovett adds, and then, directed at Lucca, “Right, Lucca? You want to come in and play with me and Pundit.”“It’s late, Lovett,” Tommy says, but it’s a weak argument.





	with arms unfolding

**Author's Note:**

> keep it secret & keep it safe, kids. i literally can not stress enough how fictional this is. super fictional, incredibly fictional, The Most fictional. respect the fourth wall, y'all!
> 
> i've had this written for... a while, and then i figured i could contextualize it enough that i didn't need to fill in all the scenes around it, so now we're here! thank you to tasha for helping me figure it out how to make this feel less like a sequel to something no one's seen and more like something that stands alone <3

Tommy’s usually not one to act on impulse, and he’s certainly not the type to spend half the night pacing his house after he gets home from work practically vibrating with a feeling he can’t even describe. 

Maybe a few years ago he would have expected this, but he thought he was past these invasive kind of anxious nights when he left the White House, when he decided on a fresh start, and then another, and then another.

It's that feeling, back with a force, that makes Tommy give in and go for a run at 11:30 at night. It's been dark for a few hours, but the heat is down considerably from where it had peaked earlier. He puts Lucca's leash on her, as much as she tries to fight it, puts his earbuds in and just—runs. 

It's easier to forget about everything than he thought it would be, but then he's standing in front of Lovett's house, because of course his subconscious would take him here. Of course he’d end up at the last place he’d probably be welcomed right now. He could just turn around and start running back toward his house, and he’s about to, really—he almost does, but— 

Lucca spots Pundit in the window; she starts barking, and Pundit starts barking, and Tommy knows he can’t just start running again. Lovett comes to the window, probably because his dog is barking way more than she typically does this late, and Tommy sees Lovett squint, then the moment he realizes that it’s Tommy on his sidewalk. Lovett rolls his eyes, and Tommy shakes his head, as if to say _please don’t let me in, I can’t do this right now_ , but Lovett’s already out of the view of the window and opening the door. 

“You just gonna stand there, or what?” Lovett calls. Lucca yips excitedly and runs toward the porch. Tommy pulls on the leash gently trying to steer her back toward him. “Your dog wants to see me,” Lovett adds, and then, directed at Lucca, “Right, Lucca? You want to come in and play with me and Pundit, don’t you?” 

“It’s late, Lovett,” Tommy say, but it’s a weak argument. 

“You’re the one _out for a run_ , Tommy, come on,” Lovett says. 

“Fine,” Tommy says, and trails behind Lucca, dropping her leash because she’s already halfway up the porch and being scooped up by Lovett. 

Once they’re inside, Pundit and Lucca start chasing each other around Lovett’s living room. It’s not the first time it’s happened, it won’t be the last. Tommy’s been in Lovett’s house hundreds of times at this point, but he can’t remember ever feeling as awkward as he does now, standing in between the hallway and the living room. 

“Want water?” Lovett asks. “Or a beer, or like, food?”

“Water, please,” Tommy says, not even hesitating. He realized halfway through that he’d left a water bottle at home, so if nothing else, at least he’ll get water out of this. He follows Lovett into the kitchen, and Lovett tosses him a bottle of water before opening a can of La Croix for himself. 

Lovett’s quiet as Tommy downs half of the bottle in one go. “Thanks,” Tommy says, screwing the cap back on the bottle. 

"Do you run past my house at midnight often and I'm just not aware of it?" Lovett asks. 

Tommy shakes his head. He tries to come up with something to say that’ll make this feel less weird. “Hey Lovett?” he asks eventually. Lovett gives him a thumbs up, because Tommy caught him mid-sip, and Tommy continues. “I never had a thing with Jon. We were never anything.”

Lovett coughs and puts the can down on the counter. “You can’t casually drop important stuff like that while I’m _drinking_ , Tommy, I could have died choking on La Croix.” 

“Dramatic,” Tommy teases.

“Like telling me that you and your supposed lover were never actually together after you show up out of nowhere at midnight on a Tuesday isn’t dramatic?” Lovett asks, and his tone right now is distinct enough for Tommy to know he’s a little agitated. 

“I can explain,” Tommy says. 

“This’ll be good,” Lovett says. “Enlighten me.”

“Do you remember that text I sent you a few weeks ago? When I kind of freaked out and—“ 

“The one about Jon’s arms in whatever shirt he had on that day, yeah,” Lovett says. “I remember because you were 100% right, but continue.” 

“It wasn’t about him,” Tommy says. 

When he can _see_ Lovett trying to work that out by the look on his face, he continues. It might change everything, and Tommy knows what he’s up against, knows how fucking scared he’s been to say this, knows how much he has to lose just by saying, “It also wasn’t actually meant for you.”

Tommy takes a deep breath and holds it for a second, closing his eyes. When he exhales, Lovett is looking at him, leaning back against the counter, arms crossed.

“We were the only people in the room—you, me and Favreau, and you actually said my name in that text, so—wait.” Lovett cuts himself off, seemingly _getting it_ , and looks at Tommy expectantly. 

“You weren’t the only Jon in the room,” Tommy says. 

“Haha,” Lovett says, deadpan. “This is a joke, right?”

Tommy shakes his head. “I wouldn’t—”

“Because it feels like a joke. I’m sure Jon is in on it too and this all some elaborate set-up to be like ‘oh, Lovett’s attractive too!’ but it’s fucking dumb.” Lovett says, and he’s stopped meeting Tommy’s eyes, looking down at the floor instead. “Very funny, let’s all fuck with Lovett.”

 _I blew it all up_ , Tommy thinks, but the possibility of ruining one of the best friendships he’s ever had because of some apparently unrequited feelings is a lot more threatening when he’s directly facing it.

“You _are_ attractive!” Tommy says, just rolling with the apparent disconnect between the rational part of his brain and everything else. “That’s why I sent that text, and it _was_ supposed to go to Jon.”

“You still lied about, like, _so_ many things,” Lovett says, defensive, familiar. 

“I panicked,” Tommy says. “There’s no other way for me to say it and I don’t want to lie to you anymore. I panicked and when you assumed it was about Jon. Jon went along with my lie because he’s a good friend who knew too much, and I only did it because it was easier than telling the truth.” 

“ _I_ still don’t know what the truth is!” Lovett throws his hands out, exasperated.

“You _should_ ,” Tommy says, instead of just _saying it_ , because for some reason that’s the one thing that just won’t come out. He can push his friendship with Lovett to the brink of falling apart easily, but when it comes to the one thing he’s been trying to tell Lovett for months, the one thing that could save their relationship, hell, even just their friendship at this point, it’s suddenly impossible. 

“I’m not a goddamn mind reader, Tommy,” Lovett says, completely even.

Tommy’s still mulling over the words in his head, trying to get it right in the one shot he has to, when Lucca darts into the kitchen, Pundit following close behind her. Lucca starts jumping at Tommy’s leg, until eventually he gives in and sits down against a cabinet, letting her curl up in his lap. Lovett does the same with Pundit. They’ve been here before, sitting on the kitchen floor with their dogs, exactly like this, and for a second, everything feels settled, the silence between them a little less loaded.

“You look a lot less like you’re 3 seconds from exploding now,” Lovett says, nodding toward him. Tommy’s petting Lucca’s back, muscle memory at this point, but a tried and tested way to calm down. 

“No, I’m still—” Tommy says, pausing because he’s not really sure _what_ , if it’s frustration, or fear creeping back in, worry and uncertainty about where he stands with Lovett, or if it’s just _feeling_. 

“I lied to you, pretended to have a thing with Jon, and nearly ruined _this_ all because I texted the wrong Jon. It’s all my fault for not just being honest when it happened, and it was so fucking _stupid_. We just got into a fight in your kitchen and our dogs had to calm us down because I couldn’t just find the words to tell you how much I like you.” He exhales when he finishes, and it takes a second for him to realize how he ended that, how that confession slipped out like it was the easiest sentence he’s ever said. 

It doesn’t even feel _big_ , because it just feels right. 

“Is _that_ the truth?” Lovett asks. 

Tommy nods. “Scout’s honor,” he says, crossing his hand over his heart in an attempt to lighten the mood, and it works, because Lovett laughs quietly, failing to cover up his smile no matter how much he seems to try. 

Lovett scoops Pundit into his arms and stands up, and briefly, Tommy thinks maybe he’s still ruined it, maybe there really isn’t any coming back from this, but Lovett sits back down next to Tommy, close enough that his left leg is lined up against Tommy’s right.

“Hey,” Tommy says quietly, when Lovett hasn’t said anything and he can’t take the silence anymore. 

“Hey yourself,” Lovett says, elbowing Tommy’s side gently. 

“I don’t know what’s going on in your head, but if you’re going to reject me, just do it,” Tommy says. “We can avoid each other for a little while and figure out the company stuff eventually.”

“What did I ever say to make you think that I was going to reject you?” 

“The lack of anything at all felt like a clue,” Tommy says. 

Tommy’s expecting an answer. He’s not expecting Lovett to lean in, he’s not expecting the way it feels like slow-motion, and how quickly it’s over. 

“That a good enough answer for you?” Lovett asks.

“I need to think about it a little more, do that again,” Tommy says, and he’s surprised with how he sounds right now, almost giddy with whatever this is. 

It’s a better kiss this time around, because Tommy is fully on-board, not caught off guard and surprised by it. It’s—kissing Lovett is _really_ good. 

“Good enough,” Tommy says, a little dazed, once they’ve broken apart again. “Definitely, really, good enough.” 

“There’s no universe in which I would say no to any of this,” Lovett says. “Just to be super clear about that.”

“I’m all in. Whatever that means, I’m in,” Tommy says. 

“Oh, get ready,” Lovett smirks. “If you thought I was _a lot_ before, just wait ‘til you’re dating me.” 

“Can’t wait,” Tommy says, and he means it so much, with everything in him. “I think we’re gonna be good together.” 

“Do you—” Lovett is saying but Tommy also starts, “I—”

They both pause at the same time, and Tommy just takes a second for how ridiculous they’ve already gotten, and they’ve been dating all of—what, two minutes?

“You first,” Lovett says, nudging Tommy with his knee. 

“I should probably head home? It’s late and we—” 

“Tommy,” Lovett deadpans. “Come on.”

“I have no idea what you’re getting at here,” Tommy says, but he does have a pretty good idea.

“Stay over? Or if you _really_ don’t want to, let me drive you home, but I think you should just stay here. Your dog’s here, _I’m_ here, there’s no reason to leave—”

Tommy cuts Lovett off with a kiss, laughing into it. 

“Fine, fine,” Tommy says, amused. “I’ll stay over.” 

It’s quiet for a second, comfortable silence for once, when Lovett reaches for Tommy’s hand, squeezing it. 

Yeah, they’re going to be so great.

**Author's Note:**

> :~) (the title of the fic is from arms unfolding by dodie)
> 
> @rantwheels for bad tweets, @ofspringreturning on tumblr !


End file.
